Banbury group providing social activities for people with impaired sight gets a £500 boost

SocialEyes is a group exclusively for the visually impaired, created during the Covid lockdown period in Banbury. Participants meet on the first Thursday of every month at The Mill Arts Centre, Banbury.

A talk to Banbury Rotary Club by leader and creator Janet Johnson inspired Rotarians to make a donation towards SocialEyes’ valuable work from funds raised during their 2023 Christmas collections.

Ms Johnson welcomed the Rotary Club to a recent session where she received a cheque.

Ms Johnson, who works closely with My Vision (Oxfordshire), said the money will be used to fund outings and travel costs for the group, which now totals nearly 30 members.

"It is a great way to meet other visually impaired people in your area, support the local theatre and make new friends,” she said. “We have held walking events, barbecues, ten pin bowling, canal boat trips, steam train rides, visits to museums, assisted cycle rides with volunteers and educational activities – mainly based on assisted technology.”

Membership of SocialEyes has helped visually impaired people by encouraging them to leave their homes for outside activities and to try new experiences.

Anyone interested in SocialEyes or Banbury Rotary Club should visit myvision.org.uk/event/banbury-socialeyes/ and banburyrotaryclub.org.uk where you can find more information about both organisations.

The team at MyVision is available to help the 24,000 people in Oxfordshire with sight impairment. Wherever an individual is on their sight loss journey, it is able to offer advice, information and helpful services to enable them to live a full, independent life.